


Love Flush

by eotteokeos



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, actually you dont have to squint it's there, and hodumaroo too lol, if u squint there's markhyuck and jinseob, there's really just fluff and fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-07 03:37:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16846372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eotteokeos/pseuds/eotteokeos
Summary: “If someone kisses you on the cheek on the first date, well technically not a date but it might as well be, that doesn’t scream hoe or desperate, right?” Jihoon says it so desperately; almost pleading, that he winces at the end of his sentence. He could just feel his friends turning their heads.“You kissed Daniel on the cheek?!” Hyungseob hollers.“I said hypothetically!” He huffs out, “It’s not me!”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a little idea while i was doing my makeup!!!
> 
> Enjoy!!! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

Jihoon presses his lips in a thin line, almost paling under the pressure. “You seriously need to pull yourself together.” Hyungseob sighs, wagging a kabuki brush at him, face in a slight scowl. “One day, they’re going to realize how stressful it is to work with you.” Jihoon tries not to roll his eyes, he really does, but when stupid presents itself, his body reacts.

 

Pushing himself up from the makeup chair he had been sitting on for the past hour, ranting to his friends how his last work turned out, he leans on the table and looks at himself in mirror. “Well, to hell with them!” He scoffs, spooley in one hand to lock the stray eyebrow hair in place. “I can’t be bothered to work with people contradicting my style. He didn’t even know the difference between semi-sweet and cherry cordial.” He scowls, remembering the incident from three days ago, eyebrows raised as the artist in front of him fiddles with the hem of his shirt, persistent finger touching his skin while dropping cringy pick up lines that Jihoon chose to ignore or subtly hint that whatever he was doing was a mixture of cringe and the 90’s (even his dad’s jokes were funnier than this).

 

He  _finally_ loses it, however, when the buffoon asked him why he kept changing brushes when it’s the same color, picking up his too faced palette between his fingers like it was _disgusting_ and shattering it in the process.

 

Safe to say, he didn’t bless him with an eyeliner that day and he quit the moment he finished with his look.

 

“You can’t expect them to know palette shades, dumbass.” Donghyuck snorts from the other side of the room, not bothering to lift his head to look at Jihoon, fingers continuously tapping on his phone screen.

 

“You’ve literally dissed and insulted every artist you work with; I’m starting to suspect celebrities have a thing for being disrespected.” Hyungseob shakes his head, tossing Jihoon a makeup wipe and gesturing for the smudge on the corner of his lips.

 

“That goes for the both of you too.” Jihoon rolls his eyes, “And what can I do? I’m great at what I do.”

 

“I don’t dis _everybody_.” Hyungseob defends, “Not as much as both of you, at least.” He points at them with his eyeliner, Donghyuck finally looking up from his phone.

 

“Dissing my boyfriend doesn’t count.” Donghyuck shrugs, “he adores me.”

 

“Mark  _spoils_ you.” Jihoon mutters, images of Donghyuck’s rustled hair and Mark’s swollen lips still vivid in his memories. He’d thrown them his limited edition Kat Von D palette then and to this day (It was just 3 weeks ago), he was still sulking despite the two brand new palette he had stashed somewhere in his makeup bag.

 

Donghyuck’s argument fortunately dies in his throat the moment the door opens and the bustling that comes with it makes them sigh. Woojin enters the room, bags on tops of bags piled in his arms that were covered with numerous accessories and clothes. “You’re manhandling every damn thing, Woojin.” Hyungseob tuts his tongue, taking the makeup bag that looked ready to fall and gently settling it down.

 

“Fucking Kim Jaehwan and his fucking atrocious fashion choices.” Woojin mutters under his breath. Jaehwan was Woojin’s new addition to the artist he was working with. “I can’t believe he chose a lime colored scarf over a mint one.” He groans, Jihoon almost feels sorry for him. Almost.

 

“Drop him, then.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “I’m sure your other line of artist pay you enough to last a whole year.”

 

Woojin groans, “He gives me free stuff.” He shoves his hand forward, a sparkling gold Rolex snug on his wrist. “He literally used this _once_.”

 

Jihoon shakes his head, taking a kabuki brush from his makeup bag and dusting some powder on his t-zone, he ignores Hyungseob settling on Woojin’s side, gentle hands running over his hair and the latter leaning on him. His friends really needed to fucking tone down the display of affection. Donghyuck was giggling in the corner, attention back to his phone.

 

“Heard you’re handling another artist again.” Woojin breaks the momentary silence—something of which was uncommon whenever they were all together.

 

“You say it like I change artist every single time.” Jihoon scowls, turning on his heel and leaning on the table, careful not to mess the perfectly lined makeup on top.

 

“You don’t?” Donghyuck snickers. “You’ve changed twice this month. We’re barely halfway October.” Jihoon did.

 

He’d worked with Jinyoung at first, it was all good, the boy was adorable; he took all of Jihoon’s teasing and teased back, and with a little bit of tweaking, contour, and eyeliner he looked like he was sculpted by God (read: Jihoon). But then he started wanting to go natural.

 

Don't get him wrong, Jihoon was good at natural looks, sometimes reaching for just a concealer and tint. But Jinyoung didn’t _want_ anything on his face but lip balm. So he left.

 

The second artist was… Jihoon doesn’t even remember his name, he didn’t bother to. The first time he met him was a disaster, hands in a hurry to pack on some makeup because he was late for his own event. Jihoon lasted three days and now here he was, his friends attacking him for his lack of commitment.

 

Jihoon stays mum. Hyungseob chuckles; Woojin snorts; Donghyuck grins. He needed better friends.

 

“Who are you handling this time?” Hyungseob asks.

 

Jihoon shrugs, “Some rising artist, I think. Seems pretty famous, I’ve seen his posters everywhere.”

 

“Why do you always get the popular ones.” Woojin groans. “We’re stuck with artist who chooses _lime_ over _mint_.”

 

Jihoon grins because it was true. He wasn’t bashful to deny the truth when he was confident enough with himself and his skill—even earning himself an award. Jihoon had a way with expletives and insults, yes, but he was not promoting MAC just because of his pretty face (Some insecure buffoon told him they tolerated him, hah for them!) and he most definitely isn’t preparing to launch his own makeup line just because he was entertaining. He had skills and he knew when to flaunt and accept compliments.

 

He also knew when to drop an artist when when they didn’t know the difference between contour and bronzer.

 

 

 

 

 

“Please don’t mess this up.” Jisung holds him by shoulder, looking at him in the eye. Jihoon waits for him to continue and realizes that he was asking for confirmation.

 

“I won’t.” Jihoon rolls his eyes. “If you like him and the others told me he was great, then I’m sure I can tolerate him.” Jihoon was currently two doors away from the artist he was going to work with and Jisung had to brief him again that he shouldn’t mess it up, a ritual at this point in their life. Jihoon always messes up the first meeting or vice versa.

 

“No, this time’s more serious than the others.” Jihoon frowns at him. “Everybody _loves_ Daniel.”

 

Jihoon sighs, adjusting the straps of his makeup bag on his shoulder. “I know, I’ve seen clips of his concert.” Jihoon watched his performance of Day by Day a good five times but Jisung didn’t need to know that. “And I’ve seen the amount of fans he has.”

 

Jisung sighs before reluctantly nodding and letting him pass. “Just…” He hears him, “Please don’t tease the poor boy so much. He looks like a big puppy.”

 

Jihoon nods but he doesn’t promise. He’s lived his whole makeup artist life teasing people for their lackluster makeup tools and attempts to flirt with him with their limited knowledge of sponges and puffs and palettes, he’s sure Daniel wouldn’t be an exception. Daniel didn’t even look like he’d wear anything but concealer.

 

Jihoon was already worried.

 

 

 

 

Jihoon knocks on the door once, biting his lips in anticipation as he hears voices from the other side. He knocks again, louder this time and hears a feint voice telling him it’s open.

 

Pushing the door open, he doesn’t expect to see someone on the floor, face on the dirty rag that Jihoon knows for sure haven’t been washed in years, someone on top of the couch, a toothbrush as a mic, and someone on the floor laughing at whatever was happening.

 

Blinking, he slowly closes the door despite the merry greetings he’d receive after the initial shock. He looks at the side, squinting at the name on the side of the door; it reads Kang Daniel, definitely not a circus act. Before he could react (Turn around? Pass? Open the door again?) the door opens to not one but two heads looking at him.

 

“Hi?” Jihoon says, unsure.

 

They both smile at him, Jihoon finally remembering their names. Hyungseob and Donghyuck had gushed about them several times. Deux or whatever name their duo group name was, Jihoon didn’t bother to know. Maybe he should have.

 

Sungwoon was older than him but Jihoon thinks he looked younger than himself, face supple and smooth, he remembers hearing his voice over one of the many times his friends had played their song. He makes a mental note to tell Hyungseob that he was prettier in person. Jimin, on the other hand was as bubbly and beautiful as Sungwoon was, a playful grin on his face, a telltale of something he couldn’t put his finger to. Jihoon doesn’t hold his stare for too long, he’d played his solo cover just 10 minutes ago. He supposes he should say thank you to Donghyuck for tackling him and forcing him to listen.

 

“You must be Jihoon,” Sungwoon says. “Daniel’s been waiting for you.” Jimin pipes. Jihoon doesn’t tell them it’s weird how they finished each other’s sentence.

 

“Right.”  Jihoon forces a grin, “I’m sure he was.” Before he could step in, his mouth already opens. “Sorry, there’s a small smudge on the corner of your lips and try as I might, I really can’t ignore it.” He looks at Sungwoon, pointing at the said stain. Woojin had always told him he was too obsessed with details.

 

He waits for the burst of anger, the criticism, the hate. But then all he receives is laughter. Sungwoon was laughing at him and Jimin was cackling. “I knew you’d say that.” Sungwoon snorts, wiping the stain with his thumb, Jihoon’s too distracted at the way he cleans it to notice someone amusedly observing him.

 

“Okay,” Someone says from behind, “Stop scaring my makeup artist, please.”

 

Finally noticing him, Jihoon turns to his right and sees Daniel in all his glory form sitting on the couch, leg thrown over the other, hand loosely folded before him. Jihoon met and worked with a lot of people—celebrities, non-celebrities, important people he doesn’t remember the name. He met a lot of beautiful people but not one can compare to the beauty that presented himself in front of him.

 

Daniel looked like an enigma, eyes settling themselves on his own, a slight smile on his lips. Jihoon watches him stand up and stalking over them, hand stretching between them. “Hi,” He says, “I’m Daniel.” Jihoon would have been convinced that he was as posh as he looked, red hair on top of his beautiful head, framing his face in the right places, eyes smoldering if not adorable, but he was also the one lying on the dirty carpet earlier.

 

“Hi,” He smiles, genuine this time, taking his hand and ignoring whatever it was that ran through him the moment their skin touched. “I’m Jihoon and you’re really beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

“He makes me uncomfortable.” Jihoon throws a balled up tissue at Woojin and snickers at the groan he receives.

 

“Everybody makes you uncomfortable Jihoon.” He rolls his eyes, adjusting himself to a comfortable position, his head on Hyungseob’s thighs. “You’ve literally worked with him for what? three hours?” Sometimes Jihoon regrets telling his friends about the many people he finds uncomfortable, they made them feel like he’s five.

 

“And in that three hours I felt uncomfortable.” He sighs.

 

“What did he even do to make you feel uncomfortable?” Mark pipes up from the other side of the room, controller in both hands and eyes focused on the screen, pushing Donghyuck by the shoulder. Jihoon sometimes wonder how Mark has the time to hang out with them, a bunch of makeup artist and stylist, when he was a sought after singer-songwriter. “I’ve talked to him numerous of times, he’s friendly.”

 

“You think everybody’s friendly, mark.” Donghyuck snorts.

 

“Well,” Jihoon begins, mouth opening and closing, unable to form a coherent sentence. “He just is.”

 

 

After the initial introduction—one of which had Daniel choking at his compliment and awkward coughing from Sungwoon and Jimin, Daniel’s manager had entered the room, telling him to get ready for a live stage. It was good, great even. Sungwoon and Jimin had filled most of the conversation as Daniel changes his outfit, asking him his age, telling him he looked young, how other artist loved working with him (Jihoon had snorted at this).

 

It was when Daniel walked in, clothes fitting him in all the right edges, chest exposed for the world to see, and jeans tattered enough for Jihoon to gape at the taut muscle underneath them that the air finally knocked out of his lungs. He would have stared at the way he unconsciously sashayed his hips towards him, maybe he’d even drool but he does none of that. Instead, he smiles at him and tells him to sit down on the makeup chair, fixing his makeup on the table to calm himself down. (From what, he doesn’t know.)

 

Sungwoon and Jimin had excused themselves after a while, something about getting ready and whatnot. Daniel was mostly the one talking to him, asking him whether he’d eaten, how his day was, the basics. It was good talk, _really._ And normally, Jihoon would have tut his tongue whenever the person he was doing his makeup to so much as cough but Daniel had a way with words, it didn’t help that he was very pretty, every stroke of his brush made him more enthralling and Jihoon doesn’t know how to react.

 

“You know,” Daniel begins, “I actually had to beg my manager to get in touch with you.” Jihoon raises an eyebrow. “You did?”

 

Daniel nods, grinning, the heavy eyeliner Jihoon had drawn on his waterline is reduced to looking adorable instead. “Yup,” He answers. “I’ve seen some of your ads and a lot of the people I worked with have worked with you.” Jihoon fails to understand why he begged for him. Surely, the artist he’d worked with before hated him just as much as he hated them.

 

“You said makeup was art, something that calmed you down, a stress reliever.” Jihoon nods, “I think dancing is art too, a way to express.” He shrugs. “I loved every bit of work you put out, specially the one in _preview_ , bold colors and glitters.” Jihoon loved that too, it was one of the pieces he was proud of, Donghan had delivered the look so well, eyes painted with blue and red, sparkling powder dusting his cheeks and the vast desert as his background.

 

“I want to see how you express art through me.” Daniel smiles up at him.

 

Jihoon was left speechless. Nobody had told him anything close to what Daniel had said. Not even himself.

 

He opts for thanking him and telling him to close his eyes.

 

(“Is blue eyeliner okay?”, “Of course.”)

 

 

“Maybe,” Hyungseob says, startling him back to reality. “It’s because he’s your type?” Jihoon throws him a glare. Woojiin lifts his head up from Hyungseob’s thighs to look at him, realization finally dawning on him. “oh my god—“ He stops mid sentence, Jihoon threw a pillow directly at his face.

 

“He’s not my type.” Jihoon scowls. He wasn’t. Jihoon liked girls _and_ boys who were cute. Daniel was anything but cute. Sometimes.

 

“Jihoon, honey.” Hyungseob begins, there was amusement in his voice that Jihoon hated. “You need a dick.”

 

Donghyuck screeches, Woojin guffawed. “I am a _minor_! Stop saying that word!” Donghyuck yells over the game. Jihoon would have laughed and teased Donghyuck and mark—a very wholesome relationship because waiting is _everything_ —but he didn’t have the energy to. He does, however, have the energy to tackle Hyungseob and Woojin and poke their ribs until they give up teasing him.

 

 

 

 

“That’s a nice shade.” Daniel begins, looking through the palette Jihoon was busy with. “What’s it called?”

 

“Peach punch.” Jihoon answers, taking an angle shadow brush and packing the powder on. “It compliments your hair well.” He stops mid action, “That’s okay, right?” he asks, cautious, remembering the one time an artist gave him hell for using an eye shadow shade she hated. He didn’t have a problem with someone’s opinion, asking him to tone down the eyeliner or to use less glitters was okay. What he had problem was demanding a whole change on the entire look when he, himself, know it doesn’t work for them.

 

“Of course it is.” Daniel smiles, “I thought the shade looked the same as yesterday’s. This one has more pink in it. It’s pretty.” Jihoon bites the inside of his cheeks, nodding. Only so few people managed to impress him and it took them _weeks_. Daniel has already done it twice, once when he’d told him that he had kathleenlight’s the zodiac collection and today. “Yeah, yesterday was peach cobbler.” He points at the one on top. “You were performing in front of old people, I figured an intense peach would render them speechless.”

 

“I suppose.” Daniel chuckles, “But it’s okay for you to do anything you want. In fact, I insist.”

 

Jihoon hums, nodding his head down, Daniel closes his eyes. “You seem to trust me a lot, huh.” He mumbles, brush giving gentle packing motions on Daniel’s lid. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. I can ruin your eyebrows, you know.”

 

Daniel smiles and Jihoon suddenly feels thankful that his eyes were closed. He could just imagine the amusement in Daniel’s eyes, he doesn’t trust himself to stand his gaze. “I do. That’s why you don’t have to hold back with colors. Performing in front of old people or not.”

 

Jihoon stays mum.

 

 

 

Jihoon feels someone sliding next to him, “Shouldn’t you be working?” He scowls at the voice.

 

“I  _am_ working, Donghan.” He rolls his eyes, turning to look at him as he removes his earphones, blonde hair ruffled and gray eyes amused. Jihoon scowls a little at the uneven eyeliner. “I know it’s uneven. Stop giving me that look.” Donghan chuckles, “I asked you numerous times to work for me.” He did. He still does, from time to time, whenever he hears Jihoon doesn’t work with anyone for the moment.

 

“And I told you numerous times that I don’t want to.” He waves his hand to shoo him away, “You know, I don’t work for people I’m close with.” Jihoon and Donghan are friends _and_ were a thing, or as relationship wise as it was for them to be—cuddling and kissing from time to time, comforting each other due to failed relationships, sometimes even sleeping together—until they both realized how fucked up it was.

 

Donghan sees him as a friend, always does, they grew up together. And Jihoon does too, a best friend, a classmate, someone he could always run to when he had a problem. They tried to go out once, broke up after a few months and stayed for the friendship.

 

Donghan rolls his eyes, “I’m still confused why you won’t just work for your friends.”

 

Jihoon raises an eyebrow, “I love that you guys love my work and all but I can’t, for the love of me, take your money.” He scrunches his face. “That means I’m going to run broke and dry.”

 

“Why can’t you just accept the money? And you promote MAC, what are you even saying?” Donghan scowls. Jihoon makes it his life’s mission to never work for people he’s friends with, even people he was merely acquainted with. He liked the separation from work and friends, he says. Donghan doesn’t understand, neither does his group of friends. “Because it’s weird.” He shrugs. “I just _can’t_ work for people I’m close with, okay? And I started with doing makeup for people, not going to end just because I promote dozens of brands.”

 

“Hmm,” Donghan hums, reluctantly agreeing. “Then I guess you won’t be working long for Daniel?”

 

Jihoon furrows his brows. “What?”

 

“What?” Donghan raises an eyebrow.

 

“What do you mean by that?” Jihoon scowls.

 

Donghan chuckles, a hand on Jihoon’s shoulder and a mocking grin. “Honey, his song’s been on repeat.” He gestures at Jihoon’s forgotten earphones, Gold playing in the background for the nth time. Jihoon scowls. “I just like the song.”

 

“Sure, you do.” Donghan grins.

 

 

 

 

“Can’t blame you, he’s hot.” Donghyuck snickers, winking at him. Jihoon stomps on the floor, ready to throw a fan brush at his smug face. “I _told_ you,” He sneers, “I just like the picture. The colors are very pretty.” Hyungseob snorts at his excuse, Jihoon thought he was sleeping, eyes closed and head comfortably placed on Woojin’s shoulder. “He’s plenty hot.” Woojin says.

 

They had seen Jihoon’s phone wallpaper. It was an old picture of Daniel, a snug beret on his head, hair ruffled and colors making him shine. It was very pleasing in the eyes and that was the _only_ reason Jihoon used it as a wallpaper.

 

“Who’s hot?” Mark asks the moment he’d entered the room, walking over to Donghyuck and giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. Jihoon fakes a gag at the action.

 

“No one.” Jihoon answers. “Daniel.” Donghyuck chuckles.

 

“Oh.” Mark grins. “He is.” He agrees, “He’s also pretty smitten for you.” Jihoon stops mid action of deleting the numerous picture of Daniel saved in his phone. “He’s what?” His brow furrows.

 

Mark shrugs, Jihoon could just tell Donghyuck was planning to withhold any information from him. “How do you know that?” He asks again, a little desperate. (Desperate of what? He doesn’t know.)

 

“He’s been bragging to everyone how he has the best makeup artist, nobody really asked him though.” Mark starts, “He’s actually been talking about you for months now, didn’t I tell you?” Jihoon shakes his head, Mark frowns. “I told you a newbie’s making it his life’s decision to work with you.” Jihoon vaguely remembers them talking about it, Woojin had even told him it was adorable. “that’s him.”

 

 

 

 

“This is a nice palette.” Daniel comments, looking through the palettes Jihoon had conveniently placed on the table. “Can I touch it?” Jihoon shrugs from the couch, tapping on his phone continuously. He had been working for Daniel for a month now, awkwardness be damned, Daniel was just a big baby trying to look _and_ act mature.

 

He’d let it slipped sometime after the first week that he watched numerous makeup tutorials the night before he was meeting Jihoon. “Are you going to use this on me today?” Daniel questions for the nth time. Jihoon had also found out that Daniel was a generally curious person. Whenever Jihoon takes out something from his bag (“all _that_ fits in your bag?”) Daniel asks him what it was for or if he was going to use it on him. Jihoon answers every question, of course.

 

Staying with Daniel had a lot of advantage, for one, Daniel was beautiful and was pleasant to work with. That also meant that he had to meet his numerous friends. Friends of whom were too beautiful to be true and friends of whom didn’t waste anytime to tease him. Jihoon had already known they were all beautiful, the first time he’d seen Sungwoon and Jimin he thought it was unfair for people to be talented in singing and dancing but also be beautiful. (With the exception of himself and Daniel, of course.) And two, Daniel was adorable--Jihoon's already come to terms with that fact.

 

“Hey,” Daniel repeats for the second time, Jihoon could hear the pout in his voice but his character needed to loot. “Jihoon.” He hums, not really giving him attention.

 

He flinches however when he feels the dip of the couch and someone’s breath near him. “I can’t believe I’m banned from playing but _you_ can.” Daniel says from his side, breath tickling Jihoon’s neck.

 

“That’s because you forget to blink and your eye tears.” Jihoon rolls his eyes despite his red cheeks. “I’m not going to redo your makeup for you when I already perfected it once.”

 

Daniel chuckles, low and too close. “Of course, you will.” Jihoon definitely will.

 

They stay like that for a long time even when Taeyong and Doyoung saunters inside their dress room, asking Jihoon to play on a team with them, both of which he was familiar with. He didn’t think they were close to Daniel but Jihoon supposes beautiful people _did_ flocked together.

 

Jihoon ignores how Daniel was practically beside him, thighs touching and shoulders mushed together. He also doesn’t acknowledge that he moved closer to Daniel; the latter shifting him to a more comfortable position. (They've been doing this for almost a good while now, why can't his heart just calm the fuck down and get used to it.) “Say,” Daniel begins, his voice almost a whisper. “Do you have to go right away?”

 

“Hmm?” Jihoon asks, too conscious of Daniel’s warmth.

 

“Are you free to have dinner?” Daniel asks, peaking at him. Jihoon’s character thought it was a good time to die. Turning his head slightly, he ignores the way his heart dropped at the proximity. “With just me, of course.” Daniel grins.

 

Jihoon didn’t need to be asked twice. “Sure.”

 

 

 

“ _Daniel_.” Jihoon groans, scrunching his brows as he watches Daniel wipe the grease off of his lips with his hand, grinning at him. Jihoon scowls at the thought that Daniel looked absolutely adorable.

 

“What?” Daniel chuckles, gesturing at Jihoon’s own mess, chicken bones on his plate and another wedge between his finger, coating it with slick oil. “You’re in the same state as me.”

 

Jihoon rolls his eyes, “That’s different.” He groans, “I can take care of myself, you, on the other hand, can’t.” he takes a clean tissue and leans forward, wiping the stain on his chin, something that had been bothering him since earlier. “You eat like a child.” He mumbles, ignoring Daniel’s gaze.

 

When Daniel had invited him earlier—with a lot of snickers and _subtle_ teasing from Taeyong and Jimin and Daniel’s manager too (What _was_ that?)—he didn’t think the latter would rush backstage after the performance, eyes searching the room before settling down on his own. “I was afraid you’d go home.” He says, huffing a little.

 

“I already said I’d go.” Jihoon snorts, reaching over to wipe his sweat with a tissue. It was a good thing he used a waterproof foundation today, he didn’t think anyone would appreciate it if Daniel’s foundation would run down his face—happened one time, he says. Jihoon wasn’t stupid to make such an amateur mistake.

 

“Good.” Daniel grins. Jihoon chose to ignore Jimin yelling something close to ‘stop flirting’, opting instead to message his friends. Didn’t really helped his nerves because Woojin and Donghyuck had a good time teasing him.

 

“So I was wondering,” Daniel starts. Jihoon rolls his eyes playfully, “You’ve been starting your sentence with that for the past hour.” Daniel did. The moment they sat down, Daniel turned to him and _wondered_ if the place was okay, _wondered_ if Jihoon liked chicken, _wondered_ if it’s to his liking. It would have irked Jihoon, he was known to hate small, pointless talks. But Daniel looked beautiful when he looks at him with curious eyes, biting his bottom lip as he waits for Jihoon to answer.

 

“Can’t help it, my social skills turn to dust in front of you and I don’t want to disappoint you.” Daniel scrunches his nose. Jihoon ignores the thundering in his chest. (Why? Why don’t you want to disappoint me? And stop blushing, damn it!)

 

“I was wonder—“ Daniel clears his throat, Jihoon holds back a chuckle. “when did you start loving makeup?”

 

Jihoon smiles, wiping his hand with a tissue, an action Daniel disapproved of. (“The whole point of eating with your hands is licking the sauce off your fingers!”) He shrugs. “I honestly don’t know.” Jihoon didn’t know when exactly, it randomly happened. One day, he was sad and feeling like the rest of the word was against him and the next, he’s borrowing makeup palettes from his mother’s kit, slapping on some colors, patchy and unblended, and donning on an eyeliner.

 

“I’ve always loved colors.” He gestures at his clothes, yellow and pink and oranges. “I can’t draw to save a life and makeup is one way to express how much I love it—without it looking like a mess, of course. And I don’t know, at first it was an escape,” Daniel tilts his head, Jihoon shakes his head “I was an emotional kid, thought the world was a sick place and all. Just high school angst.” He chuckles, remembering Donghan shrieking because of his half shaved head. “I pack on some foundation and paint my face with colors I love and I felt invincible. Powerful even.”

 

“And now?” Daniel asks.

 

“Now what?”

 

“Do you still think of it as an escape?”

 

Jihoon purses his lips in thought. Did he? He’s only ever thought of it as an escape when he first started, med school ditched because he was rebelling against his parents. (His parents didn’t even know he was rebelling; his brother had laughed at him, “ _you_ chose med school. Nobody forced you to.”)

 

“nope.” He answers. “I still feel powerful when I have makeup on just as much as I don’t have any.”

 

“I’m glad you do.” Daniel smiles and it’s so bright and contagious that Jihoon graces him with a smile too. “How about you?” he asks, trying to change the topic, he could feel his face getting warmer and warmer and the satisfied look on Daniel’s face tells him that he knows he has the power to turn him into a pile of goo. “When did you start loving the stage?”

 

Daniel hums, a thoughtful smile on his lips. “Always.” He says it so confidently that Jihoon feels the word reverberating in his bones. “I’ve loved dancing ever since I was young, took a lot of dance classes. Even joined some competitions.” Jihoon nods, already knowing. Guanlin, a trainee who’s been asking him to be friends, shoved him a handful of magazine with Daniel’s interviews.

 

(“Shouldn’t you be drinking some milk? You’re a _toddler_!” Jihoon hisses.

 

Guanlin snorts, “If I drink any more milk, _you’d_ look like a toddler.”)

 

“But,” Daniel looks down on his plate, “I did kind of lost motivation one time.” Jihoon finds it amusing that one could tell what Daniel was feeling just by looking at his face. He revealed too much. Face looking like he’d lost the world when he was sad, and eyes sparkling whenever he was happy.

 

“Do you mind if I ask why?” Jihoon tilts his head.

 

Daniel shakes his head no. “I got over it a long time ago. Like you said, high school angst.” He shrugs, “I was just wondering why I had to work hard. I only wanted to dance.” Hits close to home, Jihoon thought. There was a time he hated the sight of makeup, throwing all his stuff away (his mother had stashed them away, thankfully) and even deciding to make use of his brain, attempting to go for med school.

 

But then he realized that no amount of reading and partying could actually compare to the happiness he felt when picking up a brush, transforming someone to a confident person with just a swipe of lipstick. “And we’re here now.” Jihoon offers a smile. “You’re born to perform and awe people.”

 

Daniel laughs, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. “And you’re born to amaze people.”

 

 

 

  

“Hypothetically speaking,” Jihoon starts, looking through his newly cleaned brushes, perfectly lined on top of a clean towel. He was in the bathroom. “It’s not me okay. Just, you know, _hypothetical_.” It was ridiculous even to his ears. “Just spill it.” Woojin sighs from the room.

 

“If someone kisses you on the cheek on the first date, well technically not a date but it might as well be, that doesn’t scream hoe or desperate, right?” Jihoon says it so desperately; almost pleading, that he winces at the end of his sentence. He could just _feel_ his friends turning their heads.

 

“You kissed Daniel on the cheek?!” Hyungseob hollers.

 

“I said hypothetically!” He huffs out, “It’s not me!”

 

“Damn,” Woojin snickers, leaning on the door of the bathroom, Hyungseob following suit. “I didn’t know you had it in you. I was starting to suspect you’ll live with us when you’re old and pruney, looking after our dogs or something.” It takes all of Jihoon to not shut the door on their faces because one, they were his only hope for an answer, answer of which he will get after the teasing, because Mark had a concert across the country and that means Donghyuck is with him and Donghan, _well_ , Donghan is Donghan. And two, he was _desperate._

“Can you _please_ just answer? It’s hypothetical!” Jihoon sighs, rinsing his hands to distract himself from his thoughts because _wow, I’m a hoe_.

 

Woojin rolls his eyes, “Well, what lead to kissing their cheek then?”

 

Jihoon bites his bottom lip. “Hypothetically, they were being cute and saying cute stuff.”

 

“Like?”

 

“Like asking them out for a date or something.”

 

“Asking them on a date how?”

 

Jihoon scrunches his nose, his cheeks felt warm and his ears were ringing and Hyungseob’s grin and Woojin’s smirk was not helping his hypothetical problem and definitely not helping in calming his heart. “Like…”

 

 

It was Daniel’s fault. Honestly, there’s no better way to say it but that.

 

Jihoon wasn’t easy to please. First dates were something close to a getting to know each other, testing the waters, he says. But Daniel. _Daniel_ with his alluring smile and contagious laugh had made him too soft. Enough to choke on air when he told him that Daniel would like to take him on a date _again_.

 

“again?” Jihoon asks, fanning his face from coughing in embarrassment because did he really just choke on air?

 

“Uh,” Daniel scratches his cheek. “I kind of slipped but I was kind of considering this as the first one.” He bites his lips and peaks at Jihoon’s expression. “It’s still weeks away but it’s the only time I’m free” he coughs, “And I mean, it’s okay if you don’t want to go. I’ll be mature about it I—“

 

“Sure.” Jihoon mumbles before he could stop himself. “Sure, I have a meeting in the morning but I’m free for the rest of the day.” He says again, louder this time. Samuel would definitely give him hell for not fetching him at the airport but his friends were free and he knows Samuel would throw him his suitcase if he went to him instead.

 

“Yeah?” Daniel says, biting his lips to stop himself from grinning. It’s not helping because Jihoon finds himself staring at him, an equally embarrassing grin forming on his face. “yeah.”

 

 

“But like,” Woojin interrupts his internal screeching. “What happened before the kiss? What made you—I mean, what made them do it?”

 

“Well, I—I mean, they…”

 

 

Dinner was done and Jihoon and Daniel had split the bill—on Jihoon’s insistence because Daniel was ready to give his card—when Daniel offered him for a ride home, excusing himself as having free time. Jihoon had seen his schedule, he had a recording in two hours and the time he’d spent eating with Jihoon was supposed to be the time he could have slept.

 

“No.” Jihoon purses his lips. “I can take a cab.” He starts searching for his phone when a hand circles on his wrist and gently tugs it.

 

“ _Jihoon_.” Daniel emphasizes. “I’m serious, I have like an hour until the recording I won’t be able to sleep at the thought that you’re in a _cab_ when I can take you home. Your apartment is literally on my way to the location.” Still debatable. Jihoon should have known that when Daniel asked where he lived and the grin that follows had an outcome such as this. “Please?”

 

Jihoon sighs. “Fine.” He mumbles, “But if you have eye bags tomorrow you better not complain when I pack the foundation on.”

 

“Not even going to dream about it.” He smiles.

 

The car ride to his home was as fun as dinner went, Daniel asking him about makeup and what looked he preferred, what his favorite palette was (“As long as they give me pigment, I love it.”) and Jihoon asking him his favorite song that he’d written. It was ‘always’. Jihoon doesn’t tell him he’s been listening to that for weeks now.

 

“You know,” Daniel begins, “I was kind of expecting you to insult me but you haven’t done that which lead me to thinking that I wasn’t good enough for insults.”

 

Jihoon scrunches his nose up, a grin already on its way to his face. “There’s something wrong with that sentence and I hope you realize that.”

 

“Mark told me the same thing.” Daniel laughs, “And that I should be honored.” Mark should stop revealing embarrassing and true information to Daniel. Jihoon nods, “You should be.” Jihoon could already see his apartment. “You’re the first one I haven’t insulted. I mean if you count me calling you a child then, I have. But that’s hardly an insult when it’s true.”

 

Daniel pushes him by the shoulder, laughing, the car slowing down. “Hey!” he protests. “I’ll have you know that I was voted top star they want to marry.” Jihoon snorts. He’d seen that, Donghyuck had shoved it in his face. He’d snorted then too. “Too bad for them I only like you.”

 

Blink.

 

Blink.

 

_What._

 

“What?” Jihoon chokes out. He cringes internally, he’d been feeling dumb in front of Daniel for a while now, tongue tied and cheeks always warm. “What?” Daniel tilts his head. “What do you mean by…” He trails. Was his mind playing a trick on him or did Daniel just imply—no, _say_ he liked him?

 

“I like you.” Daniel looks at him, eyes in crescents and a small smile on his lips. Jihoon could see the hesitation in his eyes, the unsure, the fear. “I like you _a lot_ and for a while now. I was pretty obvious about it.” He crinkles his nose. So Daniel’s manager wasn’t just pulling at his leg and sending teasing glances whenever Daniel makes himself comfortable at his side, hand on his waist and half of Jihoon’s body on Daniel.

 

So Jihoon nods. It _was_ obvious. Daniel made it a point that he liked him since the beginning, small gestures, sweet words that left him blushing and tongue tied. It was the reason why he felt uncomfortable. Because he _knew_ his intentions and Jihoon was letting him. “You like me too, right?” Daniel asks, grinning. He says it so confidently that Jihoon couldn’t help but stare. If he wasn’t so adorable and so _Daniel_ , he would have punched his face.

 

“I…” He stutters out, looking away, cringing in distaste. “I do.” He clears his throat. “I do.” He repeats, more confident this time. More Jihoon, less stuttering. “What about it?”

 

The laugh that came was expected, Jihoon could swear he heard him sigh in relief but that question was for another time and staring at Daniel biting his lips to stop himself from grinning despite his ear reddening at every second was something he could do for a long time. “ _now_ you’re embarrassed?” he snorts, raising an eyebrow at him despite the warmth on his face.

 

“Shut up,” Daniel grumbles, “I just didn’t expect you to say it.”

 

“You were expecting to be rejected?” He raises an eyebrow.

 

“No.” Jihoon tilts his head, “I was expecting you to deny you like me.” That _was_ a classic Jihoon move. Mark must have told him. He really should get new friends.

 

Jihoon shrugs, “Denying it at this point is useless when you seem to know I like you enough.”

 

“Just enough?” Daniel asks, eyebrow quirking. Jihoon finds it hilarious how Daniel tries to sound confident, tries to make his smile look like he was teasing him but the quiver in his voice gives him away. Jihoon palms the door handle and prays for the best, clutching onto his makeup bag and opening the door before leaning in.

 

“I like you a lot.” He mumbles, hoping Daniel hears it before leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek and jumping out of the car.

 

It must have taken Daniel awhile to process because by the time he’s shouting Jihoon’s name, he was already at the entrance of his apartment complex, ignoring the security’s quizzical look as he hears Daniel’s voice yelling for him.

 

It’s exactly when the elevator dings that Daniel calls him.

 

“Yes?” He asks.

 

“That’s unfair.” Daniel grumbles. Jihoon could tell he was sulking and pouting.

 

“What is?”

 

“You know I can’t leave the car here.” Jihoon snorts. “You can’t leave the car because you’re going to get mobbed and be late.”

 

“That’s not exactly important right now.” Jihoon bites his lip to stop himself from grinning. The security was already giving him the eye for standing in front of the open elevator. “You’re going to be late, Daniel.”

 

“Jihoon.” Daniel whines. “You can’t just do that and not wait for me to respond! I _want_ to kiss you too! And please tell me you didn’t mean that as a friend.”

 

“Of course, I didn’t mean that as a friend.” Jihoon crinkles his nose.

 

“But you kissed Donghan on the cheek.” So Daniel _did_ see. It happened when Jihoon met Donghan backstage, the latter teasing him to no end before bidding goodbye. He’d pulled him by the sleeves, placing a light kiss on his cheeks before wishing him good luck. Jihoon saw Daniel leaning on the corner when he’d passed by, a tight smile on his face.

 

“Oh yeah, I’m so used to doing that with my family, I unknowingly do it to my friends. Sometimes it slips my mind that we aren’t kids anymore.” Jihoon snorts. He remembers the time Hyungseob looks absolutely disgusted when he’d kissed him on the temple, Woojin was ready to punch the daylights out of him. He’d done it with Donghyuck too, both to make mark jealous (Donghyuck told him Mark would cling to him the whole day) and because he actually thought of him as his family.

 

“So you don’t like him like that?”

 

“No.” Jihoon chuckles, “I like you.”

 

“Good.” Daniel sighs relieved, “I like you too.”

 

 

 

“So,” Woojin frowns, “Where exactly is the _hoe_ part there?” Hyungseob snorts at his side, a similar expression on his face (Amused? Annoyed? Pity? Entertained? Jihoon couldn’t tell.) and by the cellphone on his hand, he knew he was on a call with his other friends.

 

“I mean!” He turns to them, pouting, “Should I—should they have acted more, I don’t know, _coy_?” Even saying it made Jihoon cringe. Jihoon and coy weren’t a thing, never was. He was confident and that was something that always made him standout, always made him hard to approach.

 

“Coy?” He hears Donghan on the other side of the phone. Jihoon thinks he shouldn’t be in his phone when he knew just how busy he was. “Honey, I don’t think you even know the meaning of that.” Woojin snickers.

 

“And besides,” He hears Donghyuck this time, “He literally—“

 

“Act like it’s not him.” He hears mark hiss. Jihoon scowls.

 

“I mean, _they_ ” Jihoon rolls his eyes at the emphasis. “literally called them because they wanted to kiss. Screams mutual to me. Also the fact that you guys are practically attached to the hip is...” he trails.

 

“And Daniel called me at 2am because he was freaking out for being forward.” Mark laughs. Jihoon could totally imagine that. Doesn’t mean Mark can get away from telling him important, embarrassing information though.

 

“Does that answer your queries?” Hyungseob raises an eyebrow.

 

“I said it was hypothetical!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> literally, what the fuck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some more tooth aching mush and too many italics lol

Jihoon tries not to giggle. He really does. But it’s a far bigger challenge than what he’d expected. Daniel was staring at him and he wasn’t subtle about it, not when his smile reached the stars, not when his cheeks are dusted with pink—besides the blush he’d patted him with—and not when he keeps playing with Jihoon’s fingers, tracing every acrylic nail and the designs that he’d chosen himself. It’s black this time with his middle finger and thumb lined with golden gems. Cliché and totally Jihoon.

 

“This is hurting my head.” Doyoung scowls from the other end of the room, fingers busy tapping and glancing at the both of them. “Jihoon is good because he at least _tries_ to be subtle, but Daniel’s been staring at him the moment he entered the room. That was _five_ hours ago!”

 

Daniel shrugs, “Let me be.” Jihoon lets him lace their fingers together. “He’s beautiful and I’m finally allowed to stare.” Jihoon doesn’t stop his grin this time, his thumb rubbing circles on Daniel's. His friends would give him hell if they saw him this... Well, like  _this_.

 

“Well,” Sungwoon starts, “This is better than Daniel buying copies of magazine Jihoon is featured in and crying about it.” Jihoon raises an eyebrow. That, he didn’t know. And he’s pretty sure that the way Daniel tensed beside him, he wasn’t _supposed_ to know. “You did?” Jihoon asked, turning towards him, noticing the flush creeping up his face.

 

“I told you never to talk about that!” Daniel groans, avoiding Jihoon’s stare.

 

“He’s going to find out one way or another.” Sungwoon dismisses. “Better now than later.”

 

Daniel whimpers, covering his face with his free hand and avoiding Jihoon's stare, all the while not removing his hand from his grasp. “So,” Jihoon begins, a teasing smile on his face. Daniel could tell Jihoon was amused. “You like me that much, huh.” Daniel whips his head, slightly mortified and offended. “I already told you that.” He grumbles. “And forget that information, _please_.”

 

“Why?” Jihoon chuckles, tugging at his hand back to stop Daniel from covering his face.

 

“Because it’s embarrassing.” Daniel scowls, “And you weren’t supposed to know that. I’m supposed to _act_ cool.” Jihoon snorts. “That image is long gone the moment I saw you lying on the dirty carpet.” Daniel frowns and all Jihoon could think about is wanting to kiss it away. He doesn’t do that. Not when Doyoung and Sungwoon are snickering and gagging in front of them, not when Daniel’s manager throws them fake disgust. Not when he had just applied lip gloss on his lips.

 

Maybe later.

 

(Daniel searches for his eyes after the performance, breath ragged from running and performing on stage.

 

He gallops over him, the staff leaving them for privacy, grins and mock frustration on their faces.

 

Jihoon lets him tug him up from the couch, grinning when Daniel beams at him. “Can I _please_ kiss you on the cheek?” Jihoon laughs.

 

Daniel had been asking for days now ever since the car incident, Jihoon had said no a couple times just to tease him. “Just on the cheek?” Today though, he lets Daniel swoop in for a peck, the feint taste of artificial peach from his gloss and something of Daniel making him dizzy.)

 

 

 

“I can’t believe you ditched me.” Samuel says through the phone, Jihoon cringes at the accusation in his voice, looking at himself in the mirror, fixing the eyeliner he’d put on, the sparkling champagne eye shadow making his eyes standout. “I didn’t ditch you.” He mumbles, leaning on the table to swipe a lip gloss on before looking at the time. “I told you I have—“

 

“A date.” Samuel finishes. “I mean, I’m not really offended, at least I get to order Donghan—ow, stop it!” he hisses. “Anyway, “I’m just offended that you didn’t introduce me to him first before you decided to suck faces with the nation’s sweetheart.”

 

“We don’t suck faces!” he screeches, face flushed. They don’t. They kiss a lot, light ones—on the cheeks, on the forehead, on the temple; on the lips, when they think no one is looking. Everyone was used to it. Their kisses were soft, never the ones that had them panting. _Yet._

 

(Jihoon  _does_ pant for another reason. He was kissing Daniel. And Daniel was breathtaking in a lot of ways.)

 

“Sure, you don’t.” Jihoon scowls. Donghan must have told him. “If it makes you feel better, I haven’t introduced anyone to him. Mark’s an exception because they work together. And well, Donghyuck too because he’s always with Mark.”

 

“Why not?” Samuel asks, Jihoon takes the keys on his counter, shrugging. He looks at the mirror one last time, a red, turtle neck crop top that showed a bit of lean muscle, tattered black jeans that had chains going from the front to the back and black boots paired with leather jacket with oranges and yellow pattern. Jihoon thinks he looks presentable today, he supposes asking Woojin to choose what he'd wear was worth the teasing.

 

“He’s busy, I don’t think he has the time.” Jihoon knows his schedule back to back, Daniel doesn’t even have the time to sleep, much less meet his friends. “Besides, I don’t even know if we’re like  _that_.” They never really talked about it and neither of them brought it up. Jihoon thinks they’re more than that though and he knows the feeling is mutual. Daniel thinks he's being subtle but he'd always feel him trace the  _words_  with his fingers--on his back, on his palm, on whatever surface he thinks Jihoon didn't notice. Jihoon always notices.

 

“You’ve been kissing and flirting with each other for weeks and you never brought it up?” Donghan asks this time, voice feint in the background.

 

“Yup.” He quips, opening the door to his unit and stepping out. Thirty more minutes and he’d see Daniel. “Articles have been made about your relationship and you guys don’t have a status?” Jihoon rolls his eyes remembering the numerous articles and accounts on social media, suspicions of Daniel and his relationship after some nosy reporters released a picture of them holding hands. Thankfully, just the hand holding.

 

Woojin and Hyungseob had shoved it down his throat, Sungwoon and Jimin too along with Taeyong and Doyoung. At least Mark and Donghan just gave him smirks. Donghyuck was a brat and had retweeted it on social media and tagged him. Guanlin had even phoned him.

 

(“I thought you didn’t like people.” Guanlin snorts through the phone. Jihoon wonders why and how he has the time to phone him at 1am, he remembers he’s a student and a trainee. “No, just you, Guanlin.”)

 

Daniel read it out loud the moment he’d entered the makeup room, snorting every now and then as Jihoon tries to stop him from reading an embarrassing description of how Jihoon felt friendlier; approachable. Jihoon had to kiss him to shut up, ignoring the screech from Jimin.

 

“Pretty much, yeah.” He shrugs. He didn’t really mind and he didn’t think Daniel minded. “Anyway, I have to go.”

 

 

 

 

Daniel opens his arms wide the moment his eyes settle on Jihoon’s, a smile on his lips. Jihoon snorts and walks towards him, ignoring the silent gasps and whispers everyone was giving them, camera shutters muted as he gives Daniel a hug. “Waited long?” he asks. Daniel kisses him on the temple, “Just arrived.” He pushes Jihoon by an inch, gives him a slight once over before biting his bottom lip. “God,” He mutters, Jihoon feels warmth on his cheeks. “you’re stunning.”

 

Daniel was going to give him a heart attack and Jihoon would just let him.

 

 

They were in front of the restaurant Daniel had been talking about for days now, managed by a close relative that he had been talking excitedly about. Jihoon’s hands had gone clammy despite Daniel’s reassurance that they’d love him as much as he did. (He stays mum at the word love.) “How can they not love you?” Daniel pulls him closer to his side as he pushes the door open and gives him a gentle kiss on his crown that doesn’t go unnoticed by his fans. Jihoon swears he hears someone say ‘cute’.

 

“My hands are sweaty and they’re going to think I’m disgusting.” Jihoon grimaces. A lot of things could go wrong, like him stuttering the fuck out and make them cringe at how socially inept he was. Or them holding his hand for a handshake and Jihoon's are wet and  _fuck_ , he should have thought about this first before he decided to go.

 

Daniel snorts, he supposes he could see the wheels turning in his head. “Joy would die just at the sight of you, she’s been telling me to introduce you to her ever since.” he assures him, thankfully catching his attention.

 

“You talk about me to your family?” Jihoon looks at him wide eyed. Daniel nods, “is that okay?” of course it's okay. What made Daniel think that it isn't? Jihoon and him were on the same page. His mom practically opens the conversation with asking if Daniel’s going to introduce himself anytime soon.

 

(“You’ve been talking about him for 15 minutes, do you think it’s unnoticeable?” His brother snorts.

 

“You’re not exactly subtle.” His dad shrugs.)

 

“Of course.” Jihoon smiles, squeezing Daniel’s hand.

 

 

 

“I don’t know what you see in my cousin but I’d like you to know that despite your taste in boys, I still love you.” Joy clasps their hands together, smiling at him. Jihoon had quickly realized that adorable and clinginess ran in the family. The moment he’d stepped inside the restaurant, Daniel’s aunt had barreled her way in their direction, jumping onto Daniel as the latter laughs at her, letting his hand go for a moment to hug her tight.

 

(“It’s been _ages_ since I’ve seen you!” His aunt frowns when he pushes him to give him a once over.

 

“It’s only been 2 weeks.” Daniel snorts, interlocking his hand with Jihoon again. Daniel’s aunt finally notices him, eyes wide and lips stretching into a smile. She could pass of as Daniel’s mom what with the way her eyes wrinkled just like Daniel’s did. “You must be the boy Daniel’s been gushing about. Joy has been giving him deathly stares ever since he’d told her you like him and his mom’s dying of jealousy because I get to see you first.” She moves in for a hug which Jihoon gladly took.

 

She was warm, friendly, and things Daniel is.

 

“Daniel shouldn’t be lying.” Jihoon crinkles his nose, “I don’t _like_ him.” Daniel turns to him offended, “How dare you?” Daniel’s aunt laughs, poking Daniel by the rib. “Guess Joy’s got a chance now, huh.” Daniel tugs him by the hand, a playful scowl on his face. “None at all.”)

 

“I’m glad you still think so highly of me despite,” He turns to look at Daniel who raises his brow at him, “ _This_.” Daniel pushes him lightly by the arm. Joy seemed to have taken the joke well too, laughing smugly at Daniel. “Well, as his cousin I’m _required_ to tell you every embarrassing story he has.” Jihoon quirks an eyebrow, “oh?”

 

“One of which is him stumbling here at 1am in the morning and crying about meeting the most gorgeous person he’d ever met.” Joy winks at his direction. “He what?” He asks.

 

“Joy,” Daniel groans, “When will you let me live? That was two years ago!”

 

“Two years of you pining over Jihoon over here.” Joy snickers. “Don’t let his cool act fool you, you’re literally the first person he’s been serious with, he’d probably done research on what to say to you without looking like a bumbling idiot.”

 

Jihoon doesn’t stop the grin from forming on his face, his cheeks were warm and he _knew_ his ears were as flushed as his face. Daniel had already told him that despite the many relationships he’s had in the past, nothing could compare to Jihoon just calling his name.

 

(“You know,” Daniel begins, eyes closed as Jihoon packs on Colourpop’s baby talk on the outer part of his lid. “I’ve liked a ton of people. Also went out with a lot of them.” Jihoon hums, attention divided between transition shades and Daniel’s voice.

 

“But no one can compare to how much I like you.” Daniel mumbles, Jihoon could feel the warmth radiating on his skin and he couldn’t help but laugh at the strained groaned from the other side of the room, Daniel’s manager already taking out his earphones. “Yeah?” he asks.

 

Daniel nods, eyes opening to look at him the moment his brush leaves his skin. “You calling my name is enough to make my day.” Jihoon thanks not only the gods but himself for not swiping on some lipstick on Daniel’s lips—not that that would stop him in this situation, because he wanted nothing more than to kiss him. “You’re _impossible_.” He mutters, gentle hands on either side of his cheeks, careful not to smudge the perfection he’d done underneath.

 

Jihoon leans in, lips against Daniel’s, smile forming.)

 

“So you’ve liked me for awhile now, huh.” He teases, the usual bite gone replaced with a fond one. Daniel must have noticed this too because he had that smile that made Jihoon weak on the knees. “I like your _work_.” He rolls his eyes playfully. “But sure, I guess I like you now.”

 

Joy snorts.

 

 

 

“You never told me you’ve known me since _way_ back.” Jihoon says, squeezing Daniel’s hand lightly as they stroll the street, most of the people minded their business, some took pictures. Daniel had never let his hands go and Jihoon wasn’t protesting. “I can’t really tell you I’ve liked you for a whole 2 years now when we’ve literally met like a couple of months ago, right?” Daniel crinkles his nose, “Seems awfully stalkerish.”

 

Jihoon pulls his closer, “If it makes you feel better, I was nervous when we first met too.” Daniel raises an eyebrow, “I binged watched the shows you were in and was listening to your songs before I went in.” He chuckles, “Also didn’t help that you look absolutely breathtaking even if you were lying down on the carpet.”

 

“Hey, I told you I was _dared_ to do that!” He insists, Jihoon tilts his head to look at the expression on Daniel’s face. He had a shit eating grin on his face and the tips of his ears were red. Jihoon lets him interlaced their fingers. “Sure, you were.” He snorts. “Good thing, I like you. I wouldn’t be here now knowing the things you do to yourself.” He cringes, remembering the numerous times Daniel slept with makeup on.

 

Daniel snorts before crouching down to place a kiss on the corner of his cheek. “I bet you don’t even remember meeting me 2 years ago.” Jihoon raises an eyebrow. “We did?”

 

Daniel nods, lightly swinging their hands together between them as they continue walking,  _“_ Remember that  _Mega_ photo-shoot?  The one with tons of people in them?” Jihoon vaguely remembers it. He _hated_ the person he was assigned with, a snobby, entitled asshole who thought he had him wrapped around his fingers. Jihoon had to point the tweezers near his eyes for him to stop.

 

After which, he’d stormed off, talking to the few people that were less annoying.

 

And then, he stumbles upon someone who looked lost in the middle of a busy crowd.

 

“Wait,” Jihoon’s eyes widen, “Was that you?”

 

Daniel grins, “The one and only.” Jihoon stares at him, mouth wide open.

 

Approaching the boy was one thing, making the boy talk was another. He had flinched so bad when Jihoon tapped him by the shoulder. By the end of the hour, he’d managed to convince the boy to give him a makeover because he was _itching_ to fix the mess on his otherwise beautiful face. “I don’t exactly have money right now.” He scrunches his nose. Jihoon had waived it off and joked about a random act of kindness from a stranger.

 

That was the last time he’d heard of him. Jihoon didn’t even check the outcome of the magazine, too annoyed at the fact that the snobby asshole had called him a ‘nagging bitch’.

 

“I was scouted after the release of that, you know.” Daniel grins at his side, “Tried looking for you to thank you but I didn’t even know your name. Next thing I know, I’m seeing you on tabloids and magazines.” Jihoon nods in understanding, “Why didn’t you tell me? I was honestly worried about it that time you know. I thought the makeup artist killed you or something.”

 

“I barely survived unscathed.” Daniel snorts, “She told me to remove it but I was having none of that and the photographer was already calling for us.” Jihoon could just imagine Daniel’s triumphant expression when that happened. It was one of the many expressions Jihoon adored, a cheeky grin on his lips, eyes sparkling with success.

 

Humming to himself and watching the people go about their night, they let a comfortable silence envelop them, basking in each other’s presence and the many unsaid feelings. Jihoon could already see his apartment complex, a sense of déjà vu washing over him until Daniel suddenly halts on his step, stopping him from walking too. Turning back, Jihoon looks at him confused, “What’s wrong?”

 

Daniel shakes his head, “Nothing.” He begins, “Just wanted to say this out loud before I do something crazy.”

 

Jihoon frowns. “What?”

 

Jihoon watches him take a deep breath, watches him bite his lips and sees the determined expression on his face. And then.. and then he hears the words he'd been expecting for days. “I’m in love with you.” He feels the air get knocked out of his system. Did Daniel not learn to hold back? Or did he not have the thought of confessing when they were alone; not in the middle of the street, cars passing by?

 

“What the fuck?” he mumbles, confused and amused and most definitely _what the fuck_.

 

“I love you.” He squeezes Jihoon’s hand, “I don’t really know if it’s too quick or slow what with all the things we’ve already done but…” He trails. “I just wanted you to know I’m in love with you, thoroughly and badly.” Daniel grins before finally taking a step, pulling Jihoon forward along with him and ignoring the turmoil happening inside Jihoon.

 

Did Daniel really just said the word Jihoon’s been thinking about since weeks— _months_ ago in this busy street like it’s nothing? Like he hadn’t just made Jihoon feel like he’s won in life, a million butterflies in his stomach, his cheeks feeling like it could burst from how warm it was and how his heart swelled with every feeling he’d been trying to suppress?

 

_What the fuck_.

 

Scrunching his brows, he tugs Daniel’s hand back. “You’re not going to wait for my reply?” He asks, confused. Daniel raises an eyebrow at him, eyes wide and surprised. “Jihoon,” Daniel chuckles, Jihoon ignores the tingles he feels at the sound. This was not the time to coo at how lovely Daniel was. This was the time Jihoon should be saying _words_. “I told you I love you not for you to respond just because you need to.” Daniel pushes his hair back, places a soft kiss on his forehead. “I told you I love you because that’s what I truly feel.”

 

Jihoon was only a man. He may have numerous failed relationship due to his lack of commitment and he may have fallen too quick and too hard but he knew. He _knew_ Daniel could break his heart and he wouldn’t bat an eye nor hate him.

 

And he _knew_ that in this lifetime, he could never win against Daniel’s heart busting words.

 

So Jihoon does the most Jihoon thing to do.

 

He pulls him by the collar, scowl on his face and relishing at the surprised looked on Daniel’s face. “I love you.” He says. Jihoon’s surprised that he didn’t stutter despite the thumping against his ribcage. “I was going to tell you first but you beat me to it but well, it’s _whatever_.” He kisses him on the lips, ignoring the security guard who’d scrutinized him before in his peripheral vision and ignoring the few people who were looking at them.

 

“I love you not as a response,” He kisses the tip of his nose, Daniel’s eyes are still close and Jihoon thinks he looks absolutely stunning, lashes fanned out creating a slight shadow on his cheeks, hair ruffled because of the wind, and cheeks flushed. “I love you as in _I love you._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls give me love and attention lol
> 
> Enjoy!!!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it was cheesy enough to induce you into a fluff coma, i had to pull out the big fluff guns for this!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


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